Seeing You

by Dakota Flint

Love can be found among the pieces of a broken heart.

The night his brother, Simon, was killed in an accident, Dylan took on a double load of guilt. Guilt for walking away unscathed...and for secretly loving Simon's partner, Wade. Unable to bear the pain, Dylan left the Lazy G ranch to rebuild his life elsewhere.

A year later he reluctantly responds to his sister's plea to come home, where he finds the Lazy G falling apart. And so is Wade. Wade has stopped caring about the ranch, about everything that should matter most to him.

Though there's more ranch work than one man can possibly handle, Dylan throws himself into the task. Wondering how he's going to find the strength to pull Wade out of the fog of grief when his own is still as raw as a fresh wound. Wondering when Wade will finally see that his second chance for happiness is standing right in front of him.

Genres: M M Romance, Westerns, Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Gay, Erotica

57 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2009

About the author

Dakota Flint currently lives in northern Siberia Michigan and is working on her law degree. An average day for her consists of reading about things like negligence or homicide, punctuated by thinking up interesting ways for two men to meet and fall in love. Given a choice between getting some writing time in and time for things like laundry or cooking dinner…well, let’s just say the pile of laundry is blocking out sunlight and there’s a very real chance that all the salad for dinner is turning Dakota into a rabbit…

Reviews

[Ula'ndi Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall book rating:3.5
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4

Short and sweet little cowboy story.
Really enjoyed this one.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet cowboy story. It was very short but I felt close to both Wade and Dylan. This was my first book by Dakota Flint. I enjoyed the writing style and will check to see if there are more books by this author.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/4/2018)!💝

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!
All emotions felt so real: their grieve over Simon, Wade's emptiness, Dylan's guilt - it was so raw and realistic. Their HEA was vell deserved and truly beautiful :)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many emotions all wrapped up in this perfect little package!

[Erotic Horizon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little gem at Janna from Erotic Romance Reader blog. I am not sure why I have never read Dakota Flint work before but this is a matter that I going to rectify real quick.

I was attracted to this book because of the blurb – nothing makes me flash out the credit card like tortured cowboys or broken man having to find themselves. I really liked this book – it is a one sit down read, so don't expect to put this one down and then come back.

The book open up as expected with a call from Dylan’s sister asking him to come home because there were things that needed sorting and he had run away from home long enough. Home for Dylan is the Lazy G ranch that he loves and has lived on with his brother Simon who just happen to be partnered to his best friend Wade.

The one thing that will definately not be at home when he got there is his brother Simon. But it’s time to go home and face the music. What he finds when he gets there is a shell, a literal shell of a ranch and a shell of a man that he had thought to be strong enough to face any weather.

Wade the man, the friend, the ranch owner and the one who loves with is all is broken. Wade has more or less given up on life after losing his partner of seven years. Nothing mattered anymore and barely hanging on by a thread he comes home one evening to the last person he expects to find standing in his living room.

Wade has sunk himself in self denial for the past year, but Dylan is not about to baby him and let the Lazy G or Wade for that matter fall apart. Thing moves at it’s own pace but Dylan's long held attraction for Wade is still there and Wade is about to find out that life does go on even after a loss.

My smile faded as I pulled my beat-up blue Chevy to the front of the bunkhouse. I hopped out of the truck and stood still as I tried to figure out why this place felt so…off. Not even the day after Simon’s funeral had felt like this.


I walked around a pick-up truck, its mouth gaping open and the intestines abandoned on a blanket on the ground, and made my way over to the corral, hooking my boot on the bottom rung of the fence. And then it hit me.


Where was all the life?


I did a three-sixty, scouring the meadow and the foothills, the ranch house, the bunkhouse, the pond, the road winding out of sight leading back to civilization, the stables and the barn, the clumps of trees lining Sweet Grass creek, the trails leading into the mountains. Nothing.


Where the hell was everyone? The hands? Mack? Wade? More puzzling, where the hell were the animals?
A breeze brushed past my neck and rustled the leaves on the aspen trees, which until that moment had stood silently at attention around the outbuildings. I stood still and listened, but I didn’t hear anything other than the occasional songbird and the gurgle of creek water.

Seeing You© Dakota Flint

What a rush this book was – Wade and Dylan are perfect heroes in SEEING YOU. With no alpha male posturing or any of the other chest beating scenario – I sat back and enjoyed a love story.



Highlights.

I thought Ms. Flint took a well trodden product, added some quality time, slowed it down and put some tightly pack scenes and came up with a terrific read.

Wade and Dylan were wonderful heroes, not only did I see them at what would amount to their worst, but she actually grew them and I saw the men come into their own and it wasn’t any hardship at all to watch it all coming together.

I personally preferred Dylan over Wade. Dylan, because as much as he secretly loved Wade since forever he was a honourable man and wanted it all for himself. He was not willing to settle as a fill in and I was liking how determined he was to be his own person and have what he knew he could have rather than settle for second best.

I thought the mix bag of support cast was wonderful. From the old fatherly ranch hand, to the supportive family that is just on the sidelines waiting for two silly men to come to their senses and the cute kids who say the sweetest things.

There was a nice balance of push and pull. Dylan push when he needed to and pulled just enough when he had to. Wade was all push until he realised that push and pull are half of the same coin.

This was not a “see me, hump me” tale – Wade and Dylan dealt with some real issues. Death, life, acceptance, awareness and hope. I thought all the points were suitable addressed in a timely manner and by both men. Whether it was a sign of maturity or just the fact that there was a line that both knew was there but dare not cross without consequences – they both faced it and came out the winners.

There was a bit of wooing or understanding each other – what ever you want to call it when you read it – but it was sweet, really sweet and some of the better scenes of the story.

There was a flash back moment there for fans or foe of the flashback scenes. They were essential and not overdone in my opinion, but needed to give the fuller picture of some of the angst in the book.

I thought there was a pretty good balance between the lighter moments and the rather emotional scenes. I must also mention that Ms. Flint does bring a sense of being there to some of the rather emotional scenes, and she was not afraid to let her guys show their emotional sides.

Wade seemed to think about this, his head bowed and his eyes hidden by the brim of his hat. So I continued.

“The important part is to face forward. You can glance back all you want. In fact, it’s important to hold onto the times that you laughed with him, that you smiled with him, that you loved him. At least it’s been important for me. But you’ve got to face forward.” I felt like a fraud preaching advice I wasn’t even sure I could take myself. But I wanted to believe. “What do you want, Wade?”


“Huh?” Wade glanced at me, looking confused.


“What do you want? You must want something out of life.”


He seemed to think about that, and I kept quiet, content to wait for as long as he needed. “I… I want to smile. Want to laugh again and really mean it.” He paused, turned toward me until he was looking straight into my eyes. “Not sure how, but I want to be happy again.”

Seeing You© Dakota Flint

Niggles

Wade’s character could have been developed more – As other than the immediate and his life with Simon - I actually didn’t know any more about him at the end of the book than what I knew at the start.

The obligatory man on the make was probably not necessary, but it served it’s purpose of making Wade realise what was in front of him.

While I am all about the senses – and I respect an author who highlights all the sensual traits of a protag in a book – there can just be too much.. If I had to smell Wade one more time before the end of this book- I would have screamed… too much…

As much as I really, really enjoyed this book - I was quite annoyed at the end. I lost about 10 pages of reading page to promo. I was at that point where I had that self satisfied grin and looking forward to a sweet epilogue only to find the book over, done, finished and ten pages to spare… I was right cheesed off…



Bottom Line

SEEING YOU is an absolutely endearing story. My first Dakota Flint book and if this is any indication of her work, I am going hunting.

I was thrilled to meet two men who knew that there comes a time when you just have to stop running and face the music. Not only did I enjoy Ms. Flint style in writing about them but she gave the guys a chance to find out about each and not use sex as an issue, and as Dylan said – he wanted Wade to “See him” and see him he did in his own way.

I would never use the word cute to describe this book, but it does have the no tension, nothing to rock the boat feel to it. I was pleased at leaving the lads, and the few minor storylines introduce were all suitably tied up and I thought well played all round.



Cover

Nope this is one cover that is Ok to look at, but is nothing like how I imagined Wade and Dylan to be…

[Elisa Rolle]

Cowboys and Gay Romance are quite a popular pair, and it has also almost always an angst feeling. This story is about a ranch in Montana and two cowboys who are grieving for the loss of the same man. Simon was Dylan's brother and Wade's lover; it was Dylan who introduced Simon to Wade and doing that it made of Wade an happy man and of himself a desperate one. Dylan was in love with Wade but Wade has never seen in him as nothing more than a friend. And when Wade found his happiness with Simon, Dylan was able to accept it since he loved Simon as much as he loved Wade if not more. But then Simon died in a car accident while driving with Dylan, and Dylan had not the courage to stay and see the sorrow in Wade's eyes, he dreaded the question, why did Simon die and did you not? To not loose also the best friend after losing the brother, Dylan severed any contact, loosing in this way also his family.

Years later Dylan is called back home: Wade's ranch is decaying as it's doing his owner. Without his lover by his side, and having lost also his best friend, Wade was unable to cope and let it everything go waste. Dylan knows that he can let it happen and he decides to be again Wade's best friend. But when Wade asks for more, Dylan has to understand if the man is searching a substitute for his lost lover, or if he is ready to love again.

Even if quite sad, the story is almost a sweet romance. There is more speaking of feelings than sexy scenes. The mood is definitely not light, but the story is very romantic. And there is the undisputed acceptance of Wade and Dylan's, and previously Simon's, sexuality, without trouble, with only love. There are not opponents to their love. The troubles between Wade and Dylan are of different nature, it's a question of too much unasked questions.

The strange thing is that I really think that Simon's death is the only reason why Wade and Dylan have a chance to be happy together, and it's not so obvious: Wade was really in love with Simon and I don't think he would have been the same with Dylan before. Wade and Dylan are too similar, they would have been probably shifted in an ordinary and boring life together, and sooner or later they would have split. Simon is the glue that sticks them together. With Simon, Wade had the chance to taste what is a passionate love; without Simon, Dylan had the chance to live outside the ranch. Now, both Wade than Dylan know what they want to be happy, and they know that they can have it together.

Side note: Dakota Flint paid an homage to James Buchanan, a supporting character on the novel was reading The Good Thief and was enthralled by the story.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1934531553/?...

[Janna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing You is featuring some hot and hurting cowboys. Dylan and Wade are dealing with some serious grief and guilt. Dylan's brother Simon was Wade's lover and has been killed in an accident over a year ago. Dylan couldn't handle his brother's death and his non-platonic feelings for Wade and left. But now he's back at Wade's ranch after a cry for help from his sister because Wade has been neglecting himself and the ranch.

This storyline screams for tissues and yes, they were needed, because Ms. Flint knows how to wrench your heart every now and then. It’s not too overwhelming imo, just well done. It makes this story one that’s more centered on emotions and feelings than on lust and hot scenes. Although I have no complaints in that department, because the love scenes were sexy as hell, with good foreplay (in one there’s a mud fight involved). I just liked it that the men knew they had to deal with their grief and hurt first and give Simon a place in their future lives.
Their love for Simon was honored and not devalued to make way for their new relationship. I also like it a lot that although there were feelings of lust, lust wasn’t the base for their relationship. They were friends before Wade and Simon became a couple and Dylan had always kept his feelings for Wade a secret. And their relationship just gets a new dimension now.

Dylan knows very well there’s a danger that Wade will see him as a replacement for Simon and therefore tells Wade that he wants him to see him (hence the title). The way Wade finally shows Dylan that he does see him, is very, very sweet and well found by Ms. Flint.
Wade’s seducing methods are adding to his character development. He’s kept a little bit in the dark until then. We only know about his angry, stubborn and gruff side, displayed by his dives in the pond to cool off. And I started to wonder what Dylan is or was seeing in him right before his playful side was shown. This limited information we have about Wade and his feelings is due to the fact that the story is told in first person from Dylan’s point of view only. That naturally comes with restrictions but also adds to the palpability of Dylan's own feelings.

One thing that really annoyed me was the sudden ending of the story, especially since I thought I had still a few pages to go, and got bothered with ten pages filled with promo’s for other books instead. It’s not that there wasn’t a clear happy ending, but I was expecting a more elaborate wrap up than I got now. Alas.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year after Simon's death the two men who loved him best, his brother Dylan and partner Wade, are both still suffering. Dylan continues to feel guilt that it wasn't him that died and also guilt because he's been in love with Wade for a long time. Since leaving the ranch after Simon's death he's tried, and failed, to get on with his life. When he gets a call to come back he finds the ranch, and Wade, falling apart. Now he's got to get them both on their feet while not letting on how he feels. It's not going to be easy for him at all. But in the end it will be worth it.

Despite my initial hesitation with the subject matter I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well drawn and real and the storyline, while definitely very emotional at times, is primarily about new beginnings. Both men deeply loved Simon but over time they are able to come to terms with his death and their own feelings for each other. I liked that their physical relationship wasn't rushed instead it was allowed to develop slowly which made it more realistic. Once they do get physical the sex scenes are quite hot.

This is a well written and engaging story of two men finding love after suffering a devastating loss although I was a bit disappointed at the ending. It felt a bit abrupt but that might have been due to the fact that it was a surprise given there were still close to twenty pages left in the book. I was thinking I still had at least one more chapter before the end and all of a sudden it's over and all those pages are ads for other stories.

However for the most part I liked the story and felt the author did a very good job with the storyline and the characters.

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- This story is about the period of healing that occurs when the narrator returns home a little over a year after his brother’s death (see con below). Although this plot has been done a thousand times before, the story does far more than rely on clichés and shallow explorations of feelings.
- The relationship develops slowly, in a natural and believable way--Daryl has always been in love with Wade, his best friend and his late brother’s partner. But Daryl does what’s appropriate and stands back while Wade grieves and then gradually moves on, until Wade finally realizes that he’s in love with Daryl, too. The men’s feelings are also expressed beautifully, without being saccharine or sappy.

CON:
- It’s sad. In several different places. Well written, but...sad. (It does have a happy ending, though.)

[Karen K · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 upped to a 4**
I really enjoyed this story - so much angst and heartbreak and eventually some lovely hope and just plain love. I'm a huge gay cowboy fan but I didn't feel like I could rate it higher mainly because I wanted it to be longer. I wanted to know so much more about the characters and the interaction and relationships they all had with each other. The past played such a vital part of the story that not knowing certain things, ie more about Simon, more about Dylan and Wade's "friendship" before Simon came into the picture, gave me more questions than answers.

One thing I absolutely loved was when Wade started leaving Dylan the pictures - that just made me smile so hard and even tear up a little. I loved the emotional turmoil the characters went through and they were both so beautiful, damaged men that stuck in my heart, I just needed more...

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dylan loses his brother, Simon, in an accident for which he carries the guilt of being able to walk away from it. His best friend, Wade, who was Simon's partner for seven years, has been the secret love of Dylan's life and he carries the guilt over that as well. So, after Simon's death, Dylan runs from the ranch, from Wade, from anything that reminds him of Simon. When his sister Erin finally calls him to come back home, that Wade is about to lose the ranch, Dylan has to face it all.

The story is heartbreaking sometimes, and made me cry. The sense of loss and of being lost when someone you love dies was captured so well by Dylan, by Wade, sister Erin, foreman Mac, everyone. A great read.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly agree with Mandy about this book. While the description of Dylan's feeling is vividly real and I enjoy the rebuilding of the ranch, I'm not sold on the HEA solution that the story offers. I don't feel like Wade truly has seen Dylan and loves him, that he has let go of Simon ... and that just doesn't sit right with me since I have all my support and sympathy towards Dylan.

[Luvflix · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story, that personlly I would love to see with a sequel, that involves the heart ache felt by two men when they lose Simon; Wade, Simon's lover and Dylan Simon's brother. This novella is heartwrenching but leaves with you a definite 'feel good' feeling (but not sappy) at the end.

[Ter · Rating 3 out of 5]

It sounded really good from the blurb.
It started out all right but by not knowing anything that was going on within Wade if felt like a lot was missing. Time passes but not much really happens between them,(to make a couple) then a very abrupt ending.

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Touching story of grief, guilt, love and moving on.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. For as short as this book is I really enjoyed it and it packed a punch. I liked Dylan and Wade a lot and actually Simon as well. Much of this book is about both Dylan and Wade learning to deal with their grief over losing Simon. We really get to know Simon as Dylan saw him and really get to see why he is so grief stricken. We don't see as much about Wade and Simon's relationship except to know that they deeply loved each other. I wish the book was just a bit longer and that we got to see a few more scenes with Wade and Dylan that didn't directly involve the mention of Simon or have Simon's death hanging over them. It just seemed that Wade's ability to move on happened rather quickly (not time wise since the loss of Simon but time wise from when Dylan returned). I would have loved a nice epilogue at the end as well.

Bottom line: For such a short book it was truly enjoyable, emotional and I will definitely be looking to see what other books Dakota Flint has written.

[Kendra T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short, but it packed an emotional punch. Dylan's brother passed away and his partner Wade has been struggling with keeping the ranch going. To make things worse, Dylan stayed away because of his own grief and the fact that he's been in love with Wade for ages. The guys work though some of the grief, and this was well written. I would've liked a bit more at the end of how they made everything work, but I was glad they finally got together by the end.

[HollyBobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short little novella I thought the characters were well developed and the plot realistic. My heart broke for both Dylan and Wade and the HEA felt well deserved. I would have loved to have read more about these characters but it worked as a nice standalone.

There was the perfect amount of angst and fluff, and yes, I did cry. I will definitely be checking out more of this author's work

[cmbookdiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of love,loss and coming home.Love the cover.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short story

[Jes Jester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

[Carrie-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Blackravens Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Scarlet’s Review:

Like most anthology stories, the only thing wrong with Seeing You is a lack of length to really explore what is otherwise a lovely second chances story. Dakota Flint presents Dylan and Wade, two men caught in the loop of grief, skipping through the same trauma without hope of getting away. It’s a short story so I won’t go too deeply into the plot but the book’s summary neatly displays the heart of the story: Dylan’s brother, Simon died and left a void so deep that neither Dylan nor Simon’s lover, Wade, can find a way back out of it.

Which then leads them to living with the void and who can live with that kind of agony? Dylan becomes a drifter, floating through towns, doing odd jobs and never staying still long enough for Simon’s death to reach through to his heart. Meanwhile, Wade has become a shadow of himself, giving up on everything, including the ranch that had been his life, right next to Simon.

This is where the story opens, with Dylan summoned home by his sister to basically stop being a coward and help Wade find himself again. The story actually attempts to do two things which is bring closure to Simon’s death and bring Dylan and Wade together. The story is very well written with Ms. Flint handling the duo lines of grief and burgeoning romance with deft yet delicate hands. If there were fumbles, it could be said that the Simon aspect of the story, which dominates so much of the first few chapters, fades away a little abruptly in the latter half. But perhaps this is how it should be. Wade and Dylan have to go forward if they want to truly move on as a couple. It’s this aspect of the story I feel could have used the extra length to feel more fleshed out.

Regardless of that niggle, I still found Seeing You to be a lovely, moving tale. Well done, Ms. Flint.

Rated 4 Ravens by Lady Scarlet!

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the death of his brother, Dylan left the ranch his brother ran with his partner Wade, partly because it was hard to be there and partly because he had always been in love with Wade as well. He gets the call to come back home because the ranch has gone to hell in a hand basket. He comes home and kicks Wade in the ass and gets the ranch back on track. He admits how he feels about Wade but doesn’t jump in to be Wade’s security blanket until he gets his head on straight. Okay, everyone knows I have a squick factor, big time, with the sibling hooking up with an in-law following death and I just didn’t know if this would work, but I won it and I thought it would push me out of my boundaries a bit. So did it work for me or not? Oh yeah. I even needed a freaking tissue. *sniff* *sniff* Really well done and I wasn’t squicked at all and yes, it’s pretty angsty (see tissue reference) but it’s also very hopeful I guess is the word, that you can move on after your life is shattered. So I’m glad I got the chance to read it and thanks again Jen and Dakota.

[Rhianon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flint's story is more than just hot cowboys having steamy sex, though that aspect is definitely easy to appreciate.

It's a statement about learning to live and love again, beyond loss. About rediscovering life, seeing the colors again. I think one of the reasons I enjoyed that dynamic so much, is that loss doesn't just come through death. There are many kinds of loss, and this story spoke to that deep, still-healing place inside me.

The main reason I didn't give this book five stars was because I felt Wade's character could've stood a bit more development and depth. As it is, I felt like I didn't even know who Wade was until almost halfway into the story, and for a romance -- which usually involves two individuals -- the distinct lack of focus on the second lead just threw me out of gear. The second half of the story is much more developed and possessing of depth, enough so to make allowances for the slow beginning.

[Barbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book was too short. You couldn't get invested in the MC's. Dylan and his brother, Simon, are in a car accident and Simon dies in Dylans arms. Dylan has been in love with Simon's partner, Wade, forever. Dylan feels guilty about loving Wade and, also, for surviving the accident so he leaves to wander the country. 1 1/2 years later, Dylan sister calls him to tell him Wade needs help on the ranch he owns. Dylan finally comes back, puts Wade and the ranch back together and, even though they eventually end up together, the end came too quickly. It was a sweet story and there are a couple heartbreaking scenes. I really wish it had been longer!!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give 3.5 stars because I really liked this one, but it wasn't great. I'm going through a cowboy thing at the moment and I think that's part of why I liked it as much as I did. Some of the plot feels a little rushed, but the dialog is good, the story is good, the love scenes are hot and both the characters are sweet and lovable. There's a little angst, but it didn't tug at my heart as much as I would've liked.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well.fraknly speaking i was not happy at all for reading this novel..i was thinking it is going to be a sad one..in which u have to use a lot of tissues..So..i was scared before..but after reading this book i can say its a beautiful one..
The love of Dylan for Wade who not only was his good friend but also the boyfriend of his brother Simon who is dead now...I mean the novel was very nice and heart warming..I would recommend everyone to read it..

[Casey F · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this book but not the actual book itself. It is a great concept but it is just too short. Just as I was starting to really like the characters it ENDED! I knew it was a short book but if you are reading it on a kindle it ends at 86%. There was just not enough pages here to cover what the author was trying to do and the abrupt ending really threw me. There were so many interesting things that were introduced but never really covered and to me that made this a 2 star book.